Device and method for dosing a substance

Abstract

A device for dosing a substance, including at least one rotating element and at least one coding element associated with the rotating element, using which the rotational position of the rotating element can be identified, further including at least one reference element whereby a reference signal is generated at pre-set positions or changes in position, and a method for identifying the rotational position of a rotating element which serves to set a dose, wherein the rotational position of the rotating element is identified by a coding which is only read or evaluated when a reference signal is generated at pre-set rotational positions or positional transitions.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An injection or infusion device for dosing or dispensing an injectable substance in doses or selected amounts comprising:
 at least one rotating element having at least one partial element disposed thereon for producing a coding related to a rotational position of the rotating element, 
 at least one reading element for reading the coding produced by the at least one partial element during a rotational dose setting movement, and 
 a reference element for generating a reference signal in a rotational position of the at least one rotating element, 
 whereby the rotational position of the at least one rotating element is identified by the reading element reading the coding only when the reference signal is generated. 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the reference signal is generated at pre-set rotational positions or changes in rotational position of the rotating element. 
     
     
       3. An injection or infusion device for dosing a substance, comprising:
 at least one rotating element having at least one partial element disposed thereon for producing a coding related to a rotational position of the rotating element; and 
 at least one reading element assigned to the rotating element, wherein a rotational position of the rotating element can be recognized by the reading element reading the coding produced by the at least one partial element during a rotational dose setting operation, and 
 at least one reference element which only generates a reference signal at pre-set rotational positions or changes in rotational position of the at least one rotating element, 
 wherein the rotational position of the rotating element is recognized by the reading element reading the coding during the dose setting operation when the reference signal is generated. 
 
     
     
       4. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the reference element is formed such that a reference signal can be generated in at least two pre-set rotational positions. 
     
     
       5. The device as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the reference element is formed such that a reference signal can be generated from at least two to more than eight pre-set rotational positions. 
     
     
       6. The device as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the reference element is formed such that a reference signal can be generated when the rotational position deviates from a pre-set position by one of from 0° to 30°, or 0° to 10° or 0° to 1°. 
     
     
       7. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising a power-consuming element, wherein the power-consuming element can be switched on and/or off by the reference signal. 
     
     
       8. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one reading element produces a coding signal based at least in part on the coding, and wherein the coding and/or the reference signals are produced by mechanical elements. 
     
     
       9. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one reading element produces a coding signal based at least in part on the coding, and wherein the coding and/or the reference signals are produced by optical elements. 
     
     
       10. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one of an indicating element and a reset switch. 
     
     
       11. An injection or infusion device comprising:
 at least one rotating element, 
 at least one partial element disposed on the at least one rotating element for producing a coding related to a rotational position of the rotating element, 
 at least one reading element for setting an amount of product to be dispensed in response to the reading element reading the coding produced by the at least one partial element, and 
 a reference element for generating a reference signal at a rotational position of the at least one rotating element, 
 whereby the rotational position of the rotating element can be identified by the reading element reading the coding only upon the reference element generating the reference signal. 
 
     
     
       12. The device as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the reference element is formed of a series of protrusions offset with respect to each other in the circumferential direction and is disposed on the rotating element provided as a cam shaft. 
     
     
       13. The device as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the reference signal is generated upon one of the series of protrusions contacting a switching pad of the reading element. 
     
     
       14. The device as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein spaces between the series of protrusions comprise intermediate states in which the cam shaft rotates but no reference signal is generated, wherein the reading element excludes the intermediate states or interprets the rotational positions as incorrect due to the absence of the generated reference signal. 
     
     
       15. The device as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein each of the series of reference element protrusions are substantially uniform in shape relative to each other and correspond to a pre-set position in which the reference signal is generated upon rotation of the cam shaft. 
     
     
       16. The device as set forth in  claim 15 , comprising at least two partial elements, wherein each of the at least two partial elements comprises a protruding element at positions offset or rotated with respect to each other, such that a multiple-digit code is generated by the at least two partial elements when the cam shaft is rotated to the pre-set positions. 
     
     
       17. The device as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the at least two partial elements are arranged at different longitudinal positions along a longitudinal axis of the cam shaft and are longitudinally separated from the reference element protrusions. 
     
     
       18. An injection or infusion device for dosing or dispensing an injectable substance in doses or selected amounts comprising:
 at least one rotating element having at least one partial element disposed thereon for producing an indication related to a rotational position of the rotating element, 
 at least one sensing element for sensing the indication produced by the at least one partial element during a rotational dose setting movement, and 
 a reference element for generating a reference signal in a rotational position of the rotating element, 
 whereby each of the at least one partial elements is axially offset with respect to the reference element, and 
 whereby the rotational position of the rotating element is identified by the sensing element sensing the indication produced by the at least one partial element only when the reference signal is generated. 
 
     
     
       19. An injection or infusion device for dosing or dispensing an injectable substance in doses or selected amounts comprising:
 at least one rotating element having at least two partial elements disposed thereon for producing a coding signal related to a rotational position of the rotating element, whereby a first partial element is provided as a portion of the rotating element having a first cross section, and a second partial element is provided as a portion of the rotating element having a second cross section which is different than the first cross section, 
 at least one sensing element for sensing rotation of the partial elements during a rotational dose setting movement, and 
 a reference element for generating a reference signal in a rotational position of the rotating element, 
 whereby the rotational position of the rotating element is identified by the sensing element sensing the coding produced by the partial elements only when the reference signal is generated.